After emigrating with his family from Norway in 1957, Erik Hoel, P.Eng established his business as a sole proprietorship in 1959.
Erik’s firm was Victoria’s first engineering company to undertake civil engineering and wastewater treatment and disposal system design, in addition to structural engineering and building design.
Shortly thereafter, in order to meet the needs of the growing land development division, a survey department was added to the services provided.
In the 1960s, Erik focused primarily on building design, structural engineering, and residential sewage disposal systems. During this time, he was associated with the design of over 60 larger condos and housing units in the Victoria area, including the first high-rise apartment building in Victoria.
By the mid-1970s, Greater Victoria was experiencing an accelerating rate of development. The firm was expanding accordingly, and was a major participant in local civil engineering projects.
Erik’s son, Jan Hoel, become a partner in his business and in 1978 the firm was renamed to reflect the changes in management and to provide an updated image for the company.
In 2019 Jan sold the family interest in Hoel Engineering to work with his son Dayn in developing and expanding the Contracting business.
Dayn now manages and builds the projects while Jan focusses on estimating and contract administration.
During the early 1980s, when the local economy was in a deep recession, Erik and Jan survived by adjusting to meet the changing needs of the time. The company’s focus during this recovery decade targeted smaller residential and commercial developments for local developers and homeowners, performing residential design, structural engineering, and sewage disposal work.
As the economy began to improve through the 1990s and into the new millennium, Erik and Son re-expanded, acquiring and becoming proficient in technology for design, surveying, mapping, and CAD, and instituted a quality policy for constant improvement of its processes, skills, and equipment.
During that same period Jan developed a specialization, whereas his knowledge and experience gained in stormwater management and watershed analysis enabled him to provide innovative design solutions for the unique problems associated with stormwater management. This, together with decades of experience in wastewater treatment and disposal, had become a distinct asset in the regrowth of the company.
In addition to strengths gained through nearly 60-years of business, Hoel Contracting also benefits by adopted the ISO-9000 quality policy.
With this and 60 years of experience, Contracting is able to provide capable project management services, beginning with the collection of project information, with quality management continuing throughout each stage of construction to completion.
Contracting’s background, experience base and focus on quality has afforded customers with reliable production services and quality workmanship.
Contracting’s strengths enables them to produce high quality projects at economical costs and at competitive rates.
As Victoria’s first engineering company, the Hoel Family is pleased to announce that the engineering legacy has been passed on and will continue providing top quality services to clients across the island under new ownership in 2019. To this end.. please contact hoelengineering.ca
